Folded box



Sept. 20, 1966 G. MYKLEBY 3,273,779

FOLDED BOX Filed Feb. l2, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Y' aan@ c j Sept. 20, 1966 G. MYKLEBY FOLDED BOX 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Z/ZIZZ'Z? Z-azzmf@ @@ej Filed Feb. l2, 1965 United @rates Delaware Filed Feb. l2, 1965, Ser. No. 432,218 Z Claims. (Cl. 229-44) This application is a continuation-in-part of application Serial No. 316,595, entitled 7Padded Box, filed October 16, 1963, now abandoned.

This invention deals primarily with folded boxes made from flat box blanks, most desirably blanks made of paperboard or corrugated cardboard. One aspect of the present invention deals with a unique locking means forming an integral part of each box blank for locking together separable sections of the folded box, most aclvantageously, the cover thereof to the body of the box. Another aspect of the invention, which most advantageously has the lock-ing means referred to, deals with a padded box having a unique and advantageous compressible material lining opposite walls of the same to hold a fragile article in a ydesired position within the box and for cushioning the same against external shocks.

Padded boxes for fragile articles find utility in numerous and diverse industries, and, while such boxes as heretofore constructed have met with varying degrees of success, they have a number of shortcomings. Of particular significance in this regard is the failure, generally, to provide means inherent in conventionally made padded boxes for adequately resisting forces within the box which tend to cause the cover thereof to become disengaged from the box body when auxiliary cover fastening means, such as tape or staples are either desirably absent or become dislodged. Under such circumstances the box cover, due to the resiliency of the compressed cushioning material, will spring away from the box body, exposing the fragile article contained therein to damage. It is most desirable to eliminate altogether all such auxiliary fastening means and to incorporate a highly effective fastening means which is formed yfrom the material forming the box blank and can withstand relatively large boxopening forces caused by the compression of cushioning material.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a unique and improved locking ap construction which is useful in boxes of a variety of constructions and which is especially useful in padded boxes of the type described where it must resist the large unlocking forces frequently present in boxes of this type.

It is also an object of the present invention to provide a padded box having locking means for the purpose indicated which will be positive in action and which Will not readily become disabled or disengaged, but which may nevertheless be easily and quickly engaged in `closing the box.

It is further an object of the present invention to provide a padded box having improved cover securing means of simple, rugged character which will not appreciably increase the size of the blank lfrom which the box is formed.

It is still -a further object of the invention to provide a padded box with a unique and advantageous padding layers therein for holding as well as cushioning articles in the tbox.

It is another object of the present invention to provide ya padded box as described which can be Iformed from a one piece blank either manually or by utilizing standard box assembly equipment.

In `accordance with the most prefer-red form of the present invention, a padded box for fragile articles is Patented Sept. 20, l 966 provided comprising a box body having a bottom wall, and back, front and side Walls joined to the sides of the bottom wall. The side Walls advantageously have forwardly facing openings adjacent the forward ends thereof communicating with tab-receiving spaces or slots closed at their upper ends by a portion of the side walls. Each of the side walls of the box body preferably comprises a pair of closely spaced panels or Walls connected at their upper edges by a bridging wall.

The tcover of the padded box of the present invention advantageously is joined at ia scored fold line to the upper edge of the back wall of the box tbody and is provided with downwardly extending side walls tand a front wall. The sides of the front wall of the cover have lateral tabforming extensions which are insertable into the tabreceiving spaces of the side walls of the box body to close the box. Each of the tab-forming extensions are preferably scored to form 'a fold line angling across a corner thereof along which :a corner of the tab-forming extension can be folded back to form a locking flap. The innermost wall of each of said pair of walls is provide-d preferably with a recess positioned opposite the locking iiap when the tab-forming extension is` fully inserted into the tab-receiving space. The locking flap then springs into the recess permanently to lock the tab-forming extension in place so that the box must be opened by tearing the cover. If the locking flap of each tab-forming extension is turned outwardly, the tab-forming extension is removably held in place in the tab-receiving space by the friction between the locking flap and the outer side wall of the box body.

The inner surface of both the bottom Wall of the box body and the cover desirably respectively carry layers of a resilient compressible padding or cushioning material having spaced continuous parallel ribs extending at right angles to one another. The layer of [cushioning material carried by the bottom wall of the box body advantageously is spaced from the box tbody side walls to form slots for receiving the downwardly extending side walls of the cover.

The unique construction of 'the padded box of the present invention thus enables the cover to be retained on the box body in the complete absence of auxiliary cover closure or fastening means such las tape or staples.

Other objects, advantages and features of the present invention will become apparent upon making reference to the specification to follow, the claims and the drawings wherein:

FIG. l is a view in perspective of an embodiment of the padded box of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a transverse vertical sectional View taken substantially along the line 2-2 of FIG. l;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary sectional view of the box, taken substantially along the line 3-3 in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a view in perspective of the box body of the box illustrated in FIG. 1 as .it is being assembled;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary perspective View sh-owing the insertion of a cover locking tab in a cover locking position;

FIG. 6 is a sectional view through the locking tab taken substantially along section line 6 6 in FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a View in perspective of the box illustrated in FIG. 1 with the cover in a partly raised position;

FIG. 8 is a plan view of a blank from which the box form illustrated in FIG. l is constructed; and

FIG. 9 is a vertical sectional View through the blank of FIG. 8 taken substantially along the line 9 9 of FIG. 8.

In the exemplary embodiment of the invention shown in the drawings, the box, designated generally at 10, comprises lan open-top box body l2 having a cover 14 attached thereto. The box body 12 has a bottom wall 16 with a front wall 18 and a rear wall 20, and open-ended outer side walls 22 joined to the respective sides thereof. Each of the outer side walls 22 joins a narrow horizon tally extending bridging wall portion 32 which, in turn, is connected to adownwardly extending inner vertical wall 26 having a downwardly extending extension 28 engaging within a cnushed area or slot 30 in the bottom wall 16. The engagement of each extension 23 in the slot 30 keeps the outer and inner walls 22-22 and 26-26 in lan upright position. Each of the outer side walls 22-22 confronts in closely spaced relation a pair of inwardly extending walls or flaps 36-36 to provide narrow locking tab-receiving spaces 37-37 therebetween which open onto the front of the box, the exact function of which spaces will become clear as the description proceeds. The front wall 18 and the rear wall 20 of the box body 12 advantageously are retained in a substantially upright vertical position with respect to the bottom wall 16 by the ilaps 36-36 sandwiched between the walls 22-22 and 26-26,

In the illustrative embodiment of the present invention shown in the drawings, the cover 14 of the box 10 is hingeably joined to the box body 12 at the upper edge of the rear wall 20. The cover 14 has a top wall 46, downwardly extending side walls 42-42 joined to the longitudinal edges of the top wall 40, and a front wall 44 joined to the forward edge of the top wall 40. The ends of the front wall 44 of the cover 14 advantageously have lateral extensions or tabs StD- 50 joined thereto which are received by the open forward portions of the tab-receiving spaces 37-3'7 between the side walls 22- 22 and the flaps 36-36 when the box is closed. The free edges of the tabs 50-50 desirably have a substantially rounded conguration to facilitate insertion thereof into the openings 37-37' (FIG. 5) of the tabreceiv ing spaces 37-37 and the width of the tabs is such that the upper edges 52-52 thereof will make good frictional contact with the inner surfaces of the bridging wall portions 32--32 at the tops of the side walls and the side defining walls of the spaces 37-37 for reasons that will become iclear from the ensuing descriptive matter.

One of the important aspects of the invention is the design of the tabs 50-50 so that either a friction or a locking t is achieved between the tabs StD-50 and the defining walls of the tab-receiving spaces 37-3'7. To this end, the cardboard or paperboard out of which the tabs 50-50 are made is serrated at 52-52 both at the outer and the inner sides of the tabs along lines which extend diagonally across the outermost free corners of the tabs. Thus, small generally triangularshaped holding aps $4- 54 may be formed selectively laying against either the inner or outer surfaces thereof by bending back these aps inwardly or outwardly, depending upon whether a friction or a locking t is desired. FIG. shows a holding flap bent inwardly to form a locking t in a manner to be explained. When a friction t is desired the holding aps 54-54 are formed by bending the same back in an outward direction against the sides of the tabs 50- 50. v The overall thickness of the portion of the tabs containing the bent back holding flaps is such that the tabs engage within the narrow tab-receiving spaces 37-37 with a snug friction fit.

Cooperating with the inwardly turned holding aps 54-54 to effect a locking fit within the tab-receiving spaces 37-37, as illustrated in FIG. 5, are recesses provided in the box body side wall aps 36-36 The recesses 56-56 are positioned to be opposite the inwardly folded holding ilaps 54--54 when the cover tabs Btl-Sil are fully inserted into the tab-receiving spaces 37-37. This is best illustrated in FIG. 3. The resiliency of the cardboard material out of which the tabs 50-50 are made will cause the folded over holding aps 54--54 to spring 'away from the plane of the tabs Sil-50 so that they will enter the recesses 56-56, thereby permanently locking the tabs in place. To open the cover of this box one must tear the cover open.

In order to provide adequate protection to a fragile article 54 to be packaged and transported in the box 10, the inner surface of the top wall 40 of the cover 14 and the inner surface of the bottom wall 16 0f the box body 12 advantageously are provided with layers 56 and 58, respectively, of resilient, compressible cushioning or padding material. The padding material may be fabricated of any of a number of materials known in the art to have utility for this purpose, and is most advantageously of a particular configuration to be described. Especially desirable results can be attained with polyester resin foams based on polyethylene, styrene, polyurethane, and the like. The illustrated padding material of the box 10 consists of two substantially rectangular sheets of lesser length and width than the surface to which they are secured. The confronting article-contacting surfaces of the layers 56 and 58 of the padding material desirably comprises spaced parallel ribs 59 extending the full width or lengths of the layers of padding material. The ribs of the layers of padding material on the cover 14 extend at right angles to the ribs of the layer of padding on the bottom wall 16. When the box is closed, the ribs 59 of the two layers of padding material lie in contiguous planes, preferably coextensive planes. At the point occupied by article 54', the ribs 59 are compressed and expand into the spaces between the ribs. The portions of the ribs contiguous but not contacted by the article 54 prevents lateral and longitudinal movement of the article 54. The layer 58 advantageously has a width such that spaces are formed along its longitudinal margins with the inner walls 26 of the box which spaces receive the downwardly extending side walls 42-42 of the cover 14 when the box is closed. While the layers 56 and 58 of the padding material may be secured directly to the inner surface of the top wall 40 of the cover 14 and the inner surface of the bottom wall 16 of the box body 12, in the preferred form of the box 10 illustrated, it is advantageous, from the standpoint of ease in assembly of the box and added protection for the fragile article, to first attach the layer 56 to an interliner 62, made of cardboard, and then to secure the interliner 62 to the top wall 40. Similarly, in the case of layer 58, it desirably is first attached to an interliner 64 secured to the bottom wall 16. This construction of the box provides optimum protection for the fragile article.

The frame for the box 10 advantageously is made from the one-piece cardboard blank 70 shown in plane view i-n FIG. 7 of the drawings. The blank has a rectangular panel of the size of the bottom wall of the box body, which is, accordingly, correspondingly designa-ted by reference numeral. 16. Extending from the longitudinal margins of the panel 16 along scored fold lines '72-72 are ap portions 74-74, respectively. The longitudinal flap portions 74-74 each have, spaced, longitudinal, scored, fold lines 76 and 'i8 extending parallel to the associated fold lines 72-72 at the juncture of the tlap portions 74-74 with the panel 16. The fold lines '76 and 78 dene respective substantially rectangular panels 22-22 and 26-26, and narrow, trapezoidally shaped connecting panels 32.-32. The panels 22-22 and 26-26 which form the inner and outer walls 22 and 26 of the box body 12, and the panels 32-32, form the bridging Wall portions 32-32 thereof. The panels 26-26 of the ilap portions 74-74 are each provided along their outer edge with a lateral extension 28 corresponding to the extension 28 of the lbox body. The ends or transverse margins of the panel 16 have end flap portions 80 and 82 extending along scored fold lines 84-84. End ap portions 80 and 52 comprise elongated, rectangular panels 18 and 20, respectively, which form front wall 18 and rear wall 20 of the box body. The end ap portions and 82 are each provided with transverse scored fold lines 86-86 which form the juncture of lateral aps 36-36, which form the flaps 36--36 of the box body 12 and the panels 13 .and 20. The rectangular panel 16 has recesses 30-30 centered on the fold lines 72-72 which are adapted to receive the correspondingly spaced extensions 2li-28 on the outer edges of the panels .Z6- 26 of the flap portions 74-74.

Joined to the outer edge of the end flap portion 82, along scored fold line 90, is a rectangular panel of .the size of the top wall 40 of the cover 14 of the box 10, and which is correspondingly numbered by the reference nurneral 40. Extending from the longitudinal margins of the panel 40 along scored fold lines 92-92 are trapezoidallyshaped flap portions 42--42 which form the downwardly extending walls 42-42 of the cover 14. The end of the rectangular panel 40 opposite the juncture thereof with the llap portion 82 is joined to an end flap portion 94 along scored fold line 96. The ap portion 82 has an elongated rectangular panel 44 which forms the downwardly extending front wall 44 of the box cover 14. The ends of the panel 44 are demarcated by transverse scored fold lines 98-95 which form the base of the tabs Sil-50.

To form the cardboard frame of the box 10, either manually or preferably through the use of suitable standard box folding machinery the flap portions 80 and 82 are folded upwardly along fold lines 84-84 and the flaps 36-36 are folded inwardly along fold lines 86--86. The outer surface of the flaps 36--36 may have an adhesive applied thereto `to provide a more rigid construction in the finally assembled box. The flap portions 74-74 are then folded upwardly along longitudinal fold lines 7272, and the panels 22, 26, and 32 thereof .are correspondingly folded along their respective fold lines 76 and 78, over and around the flaps and the extensions Zit-28 engaged in the slots recesses 30-30. To complete the frame of the box 10, the trapeZoidally-shaped portions 42-42 joined to the rectangular panel 40 are folded inwardly with respect to the panel 40 lalong crease lines 92-92. The end flap portion 94 is similarly folded inwardly with respect to the rectangular panel 40 along scored fold line 96. The tabs 50-50 are then folded along the fold lines 98-98 and also inwardly along the serrated lines S2 or 52 to form the locking flaps 'd4-54. The panel 40 is then folded forwardly over the panel 16 .along fold line 90. Attachment of the layers 56 and 58 of resilient, compressible padding material is done preferably after the blank is folded.

In utilizing the padded box of the present invention to transport fragile articles, a fragile article 54 is first placed on the ribbed surface of the resilient, compressible, padding material layer 56. The cover 14 of the box is then engaged with the box body 12 by inserting the downwardly extending walls 42-42 thereof in the spaces between the longitudinal edges of the padding layer 58 and the inner surface of the inner wall 26, and lowering the top wall 40 of the cover 14 over the box body 12. As the cover 14 is thus lowered, the tabs Stb-50 advantageously are guided and inserted, with the flaps 54-54 folded back inwardly or outwardly as explained, into the openings 37-37 where they enter the tab-receiving spaces 37-37 next to the side wallsl 22-22. When the box is thus closed, the resilient compressible layers 56 and 58 Within the box substantially conform to the conguration of the fragile article 54 contained therein, to hold it xedly in place in the box, and at the same time act, resiliently to urge the cover 14 and the upper edge of the tabs 50-50 upwardly. The box of the invention remains closed independently of any auxiliary securing means such as tape or staples which may be utilized to hold the cover 14 on the box body 12.

The unique construction of the padded box of this invention provides optimum protection for a fragile article. The box is easy to fill and open, is compact and attractive, and can be fabricated from an inexpensive one-piece blank designed for mass production by automatic boxmaking machines,

It should be understood that numerous modifications may be made in the preferred form of the invention above described without deviating from the broader aspects of the invention.

I claim:

1. In a folded box having two separable box sections, means for locking said box sections together comprising: closely spaced walls on one of said sections defining at least one tab-receiving space therebetween, said one section having an opening on the outside of the box section communicating and in alignment with said tab-receiving space, one of said walls having a flap-receiving recess opening on said tab-receiving space, said other box section having a tab-forming extension extendable into said tab-receiving space, said tab-forming extension having a fold line along which a part of the tab-forming extension can be folded back on either side thereof to form a folded back flap, said flap when folded on either side of the tabforming extension being opposite said Hap-receiving recess when the tab-forming extension is substantially fully inserted into said tab-receiving space, said folded llap when folded back on one side of said tab-forming extension springing away from the plane of the tab-forming extension into said flap-receiving recess permanently to hold the tab-forming extension in said tab-receiving space, and said flap when folded on the other side of the tab-forming extension being releasably frictionally engageable with the other of said walls.

2. In combination, a box body including a back wall and side wall sections each having a pair of closely spaced side walls defining tab-receiving spaces which open onto the front of the box body, the innermost of each pair of closely spaced side walls having a flap-receiving recess, a cover joined to the upper edge of the back wall of the box body and having a downwardly extending front wall, the sides of the front wall of the cover terminating in `talbforrning extensions extendable into said open tab-receiving spaces from the front of said box body to hold the cover in a closed position, said tab-forming extensions each having a fold line along which a part of the tab-forming extension can be folded back on either side thereof to form a folded back flap, said folded back flaps when folded inwardly of the tab-forming extensions being opposite said flap-receiving recesses when the tab-forming extensions are substantially fully inserted into said tab-receiving spaces, said folded back flaps when folded inwardly springi-ng away from the plane of the `tab-forming extensions into said flap-receiving recesses permanently to hold the tab-forming extensions in said tab-receiving spaces, and said flaps when folded outwardly of the tab-forming extensions being releasably frictionally engageable with the outer of said pair of walls.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,044,301 6/1936 Hill 229-45 X 2,319,919 5/1943 Clark 229-34 X 2,548,001 4/ 1951 Butterfill 229-33 X 2,692,722 10/ 1954 Johnson 229--45 2,741,418 4/ 1956 Van Rosen 229--45 2,956,687 10/ 1960 Robichaud.

3,049,260 8/ 1962 Stone.

3,063,617 11/1962 Schabes 229--32 FOREIGN PATENTS 613,406 11/ 1948 Great Britain.

OTHER REFERENCES Modern Food Packaging, page 10, copyright 1940, published by Food and Produce Packaging Corporation, Indianapolis, Indiana.

JOSEPH R. LECLAIR, Primary Exan'ziner.

D. T. MOORHEAD, Assistant Examiner. 

1. IN A FOLDED BOX HAVING TWO SEPARABLE BOX SECTIONS, MEANS FOR LOCKING SAID BOX SECTIONS TOGETHER COMPRISING: CLOSELY SPACED WALLS ON ONE OF SAID SECTIONS DEFINING AT LEAST ONE TAB-RECEIVING SPACE THEREBETWEEN, SAID ONE SECTION HAVING AN OPENING ON THE OUTSIDE OF THE BOX SECTION COMMUNICATING AND IN ALIGNMENT WITH SAID TAB-RECEIVING SPACE, ONE OF SAID WALLS HAVING A FLAP-RECEIVING RECESS OPENING ON SAID TAB-RECEIVING SPACE, SAID OTHER BOX SECTION HAVING A TAB-FORMING EXTENSION EXTENDABLE INTO SAID TAB-RECEIVING SPACE, SAID TAB-FORMING EXTENSION HAVING A FOLD LINE ALONG WHICH A PART OF THE TAB-FORMING EXTENSION CAN BE FOLDED BACK ON EITHER SIDE THEREOF TO FORM A FOLDED BACK FLAP, SAID FLAP WHEN FOLDED ON EITHER SIDE OF THE TABFORMING EXTENSION BEING OPPOSITE SAID FLAP-RECEIVING RECESS WHEN THE TAB-FORMING EXTENSION IS SUBSTANTIALLY FULLY INSERTED INTO SAID TAB-RECEIVING SPACE, SAID FOLDED FLAP WHEN 